Midnight matches and money disputes: why tennis scheduling keeps sparking complaints
Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin's US Open first-round match began after midnight and finished past 2am, reviving criticism of late-night scheduling at Grand Slams. Organisers cite financial benefits while players warn of health and performance risks.
When Venus Williams received a wildcard for the US Open women's singles, her first-round match against fellow American Sofia Kenin was slotted into Sunday's primetime session on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Instead, the match did not start until just after midnight, with Kenin sealing a straight-sets win past 2am New York time.
Williams afterwards called the scheduling less than ideal, saying it hurt conditioning for both players. The 46-year-old, who has now lost 15 straight singles matches but will still play doubles alongside sister Serena, joins a long list of players who have criticised late finishes at majors in recent years.
Why matches run so late
Three of the four Grand Slams — the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open — use split day-and-night schedules. At the US Open, the night session begins at 7pm and features one men's and one women's match. The format lets organisers sell the same seat twice and boosts broadcast value: ESPN agreed in 2024 to pay $2.04bn for US rights through 2037.
Wimbledon does not follow this model. Play runs from 11am to 11pm regardless of whether matches finish, partly because broadcaster the BBC does not rely on advertising revenue in the same way.
The drawbacks
Organisers argue late sessions suit fans, but matches have no fixed length — a five-set men's match can run past four hours. That unpredictability is why Williams and Kenin waited so long: Novak Djokovic's five-set loss to Mariano Navone ran long beforehand. Players including Coco Gauff have said post-match duties such as press conferences, treatment and meals can push bedtime to 5am or later, calling the toll on health and fairness a genuine concern.
What could change
Scheduling is one strand of an ongoing dispute between players and Grand Slam organisers over revenue sharing, which has already led to increased prize money at Wimbledon and the US Open for 2026 and a new players' advisory council. Whether that council will push to end late finishes remains uncertain.
